1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to the art of cooking appliances and, more particularly, to a cooktop having a one-piece frame adapted to support both a plurality of burner and control elements.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
In general, cooking appliances in the form of cooktops are well known in the prior art. Typically, cooktops are associated with oven ranges or are mounted in kitchen islands. Conventionally, a cooktop includes a frame section having secured thereto a plurality of burner elements covered by a glass panel or cooking surface. In addition, a plurality of control elements, each of which is associated with a respective burner element, are also mounted to the cooktop. The burner elements are secured to the frame section using a variety of established methods including brackets which extend across openings in the frame, clamps, springs and the like. Each of the above methods requires a number of component parts which not only add to the overall complexity of the appliance, but likewise increase manufacturing and inventory costs. In the highly competitive field of kitchen appliances, reducing the number of component parts, in addition to lowering manufacturing costs, provides a substantial benefit to the manufacturer.
Typically, manufactures mount the control elements in a separate area of the frame section. This arrangement eliminates the need for complicated mounting brackets typically associated with the mounting of the controls or switches alongside the burner elements. However, the use of a separate section, dedicated solely to the controls, limits potential design configurations for the cooktop.
In addition to providing a separate portion of the frame to mount the controls, frame sections of the prior art include an internal ledge or support surface stamped or formed into a peripheral edge portion for supporting the cooking surface. With this arrangement, the cooking surface is located within the frame and able to support cookware. While the ledge portion does provide a somewhat stable supporting surface, the panel is only supported through an outer edge portion. As such, without additional structural considerations, the total weight able to be placed on the cooktop is limited. Also, inherent to this arrangement, a seam or crevice extends about a perimeter of the cooking surface. During normal cooking, food and other by-products such as grease and the like can become trapped in the crevice. Accordingly, constant cleaning is required to keep the cooktop sanitary.
Therefore, despite the existence of various cooktop constructions present in the prior art, there still exists a need for a cooktop that simplifies the manner in which burner elements are mounted to a frame, as well as providing a frame having an increased structural stability which allows for greater weight to be supported by the cooking surface.